New Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says he sees Super Bowl on horizon

Published 4:58 pm, Friday, January 17, 2014

Vikings' new head coach Mike Zimmer, right, and general manager Rick Spielman, left, hug after Spielman introduces Zimmer at a news conference in the Winter Park Fieldhouse in Eden Prairie, Minn., Friday.

Vikings' new head coach Mike Zimmer, right, and general manager Rick Spielman, left, hug after Spielman introduces Zimmer at a news conference in the Winter Park Fieldhouse in Eden Prairie, Minn., Friday.

New Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says he sees Super Bowl on horizon

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. >> Mike Zimmer has only been on the job for two days and he's already envisioning in great detail a Super Bowl win for the Minnesota Vikings.

Zimmer was hired as the team's ninth coach on Wednesday and was introduced at a press conference Friday at Vikings headquarters. He made it clear his goal is to lead the Vikings to their first championship in what next season will be a 54-year history.

"I can't wait to stand on the podium with Zygi (Wilf) and Mark (Wilf) and Jonathan (Wilf)," said Zimmer, referring to team owners. "And we're standing on the podium and we look up and the confetti is falling on top of us and the commissioner, (Roger) Goodell, comes over and he hands the Super Bowl trophy to Mr. Wilf and tells him we're world champions.

"So that is my goal and my drive."

Zimmer, 57, has 20 years of experience as an NFL assistant, but this is his first head position. He was Cincinnati's offensive coordinator the past six seasons.

"Sometimes you wonder (if becoming a head coach ever would happen)," Zimmer said. "But I have a lot of confidence in myself. I feel like I was destined to do this, and, you know, for the first couple of days I've been here, that office upstairs feels really comfortable."

Zimmer declined to speculate on any future members of his staff and said he will name all his coaches together at a later date. Indications, though, are that Norv Turner will become offensive coordinator and George Edwards defensive coordinator.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said he interviewed seven candidates to replace the fired Leslie Frazier and that Zimmer really stood out. He talked to the Vikings on Jan. 8 in Cincinnati and last Tuesday and Wednesday in Minnesota.

"When we talked to Mike Zimmer, there was something different about that," Spielman said. "We interviewed him for a very long time. We brought him in for a second interview and spent another whole day with him. And the thing that stuck out to us the most was not only the passion, but the football intelligence, and the leadership."